Amber Riley On Preparing for ‘Dancing With the Stars’, Her Cute Dance Partner

The Glee actress opens up about preparing to star on ABC's hit dance show.

Actress Amber Riley is excited for her debut on the 17th season of Dancing With the Stars, and she’s working hard to prepare. The Glee star, 27, will be partnered with dancer Derek Hough, who is a four-time competition winner who was also paired with rapper Lil ' Kim on season eight.

"He is so cute and so sweet,” Riley told People. “When I found out he was the person I was going to be dancing with it boosted my confidence a little bit, so I'm really excited about it.”

Before the cameras roll, quite a bit of preparation occurs for the show’s stars.

"The rehearsal schedule is grueling but I've been really enjoying the workout aspect of it. It's four hours a day for six days a week," said Riley.